Trail running is a team sport. You’ve probably heard that before, but this whole thing breaks down without the support and skillsets of many different people. When I race, I represent more than myself. I am the outcome of months and years of being shaped by coaches, PTs, family, friends, sponsors, etc. in addition to the actual crew that is present on race day.
So let me tell you a bit about how the team is shaping up for 2026. Here are some key players:
Family
My parents have inspired and supported me since the beginning, and they continue doing so. From helping babysit Marshall, to flying across the world to cheer and crew me at my big races, my parents and sisters are an essential part of the team. Morgan’s family has also been there to help in very similar ways and it’s so much fun having families who are so invested in this venture. Morgan, obviously, is the absolute best and none of this would ever be possible without her. The #1 crew captain, First of her Name, Caretaker of Kittens, Breaker of Chains, Mother of Marshall. Marshall is a perfect little guy and I’m so excited for when he is old enough to understand how cool our lives are.
Friends
I’m going to include a lot of people in this category, and because I don’t want to accidentally leave anyone out I won’t name specific names. But “friends” includes crew, pacers, and competitors who have shared highs and lows with me in training and racing, workout buddies, podcasters, dinner/game night attendees, best-in-class photographers, mentors, cheerleaders, hype-people, etc. Having a strong local (and increasingly global) community that I feel connected with has been one of the best parts of diving deeper into trail running.
Coaches
As of December, I’ve started training under the guidance of some new coaches. I had been bouncing training ideas off of a group of experts at the Nike Sports Research Lab (NSRL) all summer leading into the World Championships race, and now I’m all in. Brett Kirby and Brad Winn are sports scientists (sorry guys, I’m sure you have fancier official titles that I’m leaving off here) who immediately impressed me with their knowledge, experience, and the attitude with which they approach training. It feels like there are no barriers that could get between them, an athlete, and a shared goal. We know what we want to achieve, we’ve identified what it will take to make it happen, and we can do whatever it takes to execute that plan. That’s the vibe I get.
Joanna Parsonage and Katherine Boere are also part of the NSRL and each have their own specializations. Joanna is a strength and conditioning expert, while Kat is a neuroscientist and accomplished trail runner herself, who brings a mental strength and terrain-specific skillset to the coaching squad. Colleen Little is a PT for Nike athletes in the local area, and she helps fix me up when I have problems and has also been a great guide for strength training.
Sponsors
As you may have picked up from the previous section, Nike is a huge component of my team. It’s an honor to be a member of the All Conditions Racing Department. I’m surrounded by incredible people on all sides: fellow Racing Department teammates, the product and design teams who work with me to make sure everything I use is perfectly dialed in, creative teams putting out cool media, the NSRL for testing. And of course, Lucy May is an all-star team manager who puts up with my frequent messages and has made this partnership work so well. Nike Trail’s incorporation into All Conditions Gear means additional resources and focus on developing the best possible gear for high-performance trail running, and I’ve noticed a significant difference in the energy and support. The ACG Ultrafly and ACG Zegama are the shoes I’m currently using most (both dropping in 2026).
Believe it or not, Precision Fuel & Hydration is not just the presenting sponsor of this Chasing Trail newsletter, they are also the source of 99.99% of all carbs and electrolytes that have entered my body while running since mid-2023. Chris “Minty” Harris has spent hours listening to me plan and recap nutrition and heat training strategies, taking careful notes, offering insightful suggestions, and producing helpful case studies. I’m a simple guy, and PF90 gels and 1000mg electrolyte packets have been my key to success.
Having Kodiak onboard as a partner has helped me focus on eating more, better food outside of training. I can get in more protein and make sure to eat a full breakfast when it’s food I’m excited to eat, and there are few things that I’m more excited to eat after a long run than Kodiak’s Dark Chocolate Pancake Mix (my secret is adding one egg, chocolate chips, and a little bit of ricotta).
Accurate training data is necessary to collaborate with remote coaches and to assess progress. COROS is my partner for that. I love the Apex 4 and Heart Rate Armband and use them daily. I also use COROS to track sleep and recovery to make sure I’m training in a sustainable way.
LEKI makes some of the best poles out there. I use the Ultratrail FX.One Superlite poles for training and racing. They’re lightweight and I love how they attach to the hand harness glove things so you can put extra power into each push and don’t have to worry about dropping them.
Others
I know that there are more people in my life that help me. I try to be conscious of the friendship and support that I receive, because it has enabled me to be chasing my dreams. Some others that come to mind are: catsitters, childcare helpers, my actual day-job that I haven’t quit yet and manager that puts up with all my travel and working weird hours, brand/marketing partnership managers, inspiring athletes and personal heros I look up to, race directors who help support travel and put together amazing events, followers/fans/subscribers, masseuses, audiobook narrators and authors and media and meme pages who inform and entertain me… ok if I’m listing meme pages I need to call it good here. Lots of people help me in lots of different ways. I appreciate it. Thank you.
That's the same nutrition mix I use: PF90 gels and 1000 ph drink mixes. Somehow I'm not winning Western States... yet? This was a fun read. Thanks for sharing.
Where are the dank memes that help you win Western States? Must be some secret forum only elite ultra-runners know about…